So why are we doing this?

Open Source is more than open source. The following is from Pia Waugh (see her blog, specifically here) which she describes elsewhere as the "Four Pillars of Free and Open Source Software". It's a list of what we are trying to communicate on Software Freedom Day.

So what is Free and Open Source Software all about?

Open Standards

Software that adheres to internationally recognised and open data formats and protocols.

Open Licences

The software must be released under an official Open Source licence, according to the Open Source Initiative (OSI).

Open Knowledge and Open Source

The software and source must be available and freely distributed, ensuring equal access to the technology. The development tools and documentation must be freely available to everyone.

Open Community

Contributing to and using the software must be completely open to anyone, anywhere, and with no restrictions.